With fewer specialized course requirements, the Bachelor of Arts with a major in Music offers greater flexibility for students who wish to pursue a major or minor in another area. Holding a Bachelor of Arts in Music does not preclude further study or admission into graduate study in music.

The Bachelor of Music programs offer more intensive training in music for students who are certain of their intention to pursue graduate study, and/or performance and teaching careers. However, Bachelor of Music graduates at Southwestern have also gone on to successful careers in other fields.

Students who complete the requirements for the Bachelor of Music in Music Education will be qualified to teach music in public schools. The Bachelor of Music in Performance is designed for those students who wish to become highly proficient in an instrument or in voice, for the purpose of becoming private teachers and/or professional performers. For those students who wish to pursue a degree in musicology at the graduate level, or for those who wish to gain a greater knowledge and appreciation of significant works of music in Western civilization, the Bachelor of Music in Music Literature is appropriate. The Bachelor of Music with an emphasis in Music Theory/Composition is designed for those students who plan to pursue graduate work in composition and/or music theory.

NOTE: Approval by NASM of the non-certification program in Music Education and the Theory/Composition program is pending as of October 2010.

The Music Department requires an audition for all students who wish to pursue the music major at Southwestern. Once they are admitted to the major program, students must perform a jury in their major performance area each semester. In addition, they must pass a keyboard proficiency requirement and a sophomore barrier performance examination. The Southwestern University capstone requirement may be fulfilled in various ways by music majors, including a public recital or recitals, or a lecture or other public presentation; consult the University catalog for more information. NOTE: For the Performance and Music Education programs within the Bachelor of Music degree, public recitals are required as capstones.

Music majors must meet the general education standards common to all SU students.

For more information about the Music Department’s degree programs, click the appropriate links above or on the right of this page. NOTE: The Department of Music no longer offers a Sacred Music major.